Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
1 Corinthians 10
Tempting Christ
“Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.” 1 Corinthians 10:9 (KJB)
There are four “Neither”(s) in this paragraph of chapter 10. The apostle is giving the Corinthian Christians, and Christians of every age examples of how we are not to be and live:
- “Neither be Idolaters”;
- “Neither let us commit fornication”;
- “Neither let us tempt Christ”;
- “Neither murmur”.
Each one of these have a lesson in themselves. Paul is dealing with historical events in the journeys of his forefathers who wandered forty years in the wilderness. Someone has said, “It only took a few days to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.”
On the matter of “Tempting Christ” that is putting Him to the test. It is not a matter to temptation of sinning. He cannot be tempted to sin (James 1:13).
As I read these words this morning my first thought was that the apostle is recognizing that Christ Jesus was with Israel in the wilderness. He has in these verses recognized that in 1 Corinthians 10:4 – “That Rock was Christ”.
Putting Christ to the test. How is that done? Not trusting Him. Not believing what He says. Not walking with Him. Living as the people around us live, instead of as He teaches and lived.
In the wilderness twenty three thousand people died as a result of unbelief, because they had put Him to the test.
Let us as a Christian of 2019 commit ourselves to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength; and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves; and choose daily, moment by moment to walk humbly with God in the power of His Spirit. When we are doing that we will not be tempting Christ.
That Spiritual Rock
“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-10 (KJB)
References: Exodus 13:21; 16:25;17:6; 12:23; 32:6 Deuteronomy 1:33; Nehemiah 9:12, 15; Numbers 11:4; 25:1; Psalm 106:14, 29
The Fire and Hammer 